Federal VET Diploma retail specialist: apprenticeship, training, continuing education, further training, information and schools at a glance

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Federal VET Diploma retail specialist: The efficient path to a retail apprenticeship for adults

In any industry, a federal apprenticeship qualification is an investment in your own future - and the retail trade apprenticeship is no exception. That's why there are also opportunities for adults to efficiently obtain a Federal VET Diploma in retail trade. These courses last 3 or 4 semesters and can be attended alongside work.

Find out more about the apprenticeship in retail trade - adult education according to Art. 32, the specializations, school costs, etc. in our "Tips, tests and information".

Would you like personal advice on the offer? Contact the provider of your choice via the "Free information on the topic..." button - without obligation, quickly and easily.

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Federal VET Diploma retail specialist: Varied and versatile

The retail specialist is a customer advisor, salesperson and product range manager. The tasks of retail specialists range from advising customers to sales, sales administration and planning sales activities. However, organizational tasks in the background are also part of this job description. Retail specialists must know their product range and at the same time use their advisory and sales techniques correctly. They deal with customer inquiries and complaints and take care of merchandise management and the warehouse. They work in chain stores, large distributors, specialist stores and department stores. This profession is therefore very varied and demanding.

Suitable candidates for this basic training in the retail trade are motivated and determined people who love contact with people. They have a good grasp of things, a flair for figures and a willingness to provide service, an interest in working on computers and, if possible, some knowledge of foreign languages. As a prerequisite for training with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (VET Diploma) as a retail specialist (VET Diploma), you must have completed elementary school at upper secondary level or, if you perform well, at intermediate level.

The apprenticeship lasts three years and is completed in a sales outlet of your choice. Prospective retail specialists attend vocational college around 1.5 days a week, where they deepen their knowledge in areas such as German, economics, foreign languages, society, general industry knowledge and retail skills. In the third year of training as a retail specialist Federal VET Diploma, a focus is chosen, which can be either consulting or management. It is also possible to attend a vocational baccalaureate school during your training. However, you must be able to demonstrate very good academic performance during your basic training.

Find out about the various training opportunities and request documents from the providers listed here. They will provide you with comprehensive information on all the important aspects of your training to become a Federal VET Diploma retail specialist.

Questions and answers

After completing the retail trade apprenticeship, you will carry out the following activities as a retailer:

  • Looking after customers
  • Present products
  • Presenting solutions for customer requirements
  • Process customer inquiries on various channels
  • Presenting products and services in a customer-oriented way
  • Processing of business-relevant key figures, customer data and information
  • Helping to further develop products and services
  • Recognize and integrate current developments
  • Ensuring the flow of information
  • Designing shopping experiences when choosing this focus
  • Supervision of online stores if this focus is chosen

After completing their basic training (apprenticeship), Federal VET Diploma retail specialists can pursue various continuing education, which will further advance their professional career. This is possible, for example, with a Federal Professional Examination (FPE), such as purchasing specialist, marketing specialist, retail specialist or many more. In addition to a Federal VET Diploma, as a retail specialist you can also attend a College of Higher Education (Achtung: Engl. Dipl. Betriebswirt HF or Dipl. Marketingmanager HFP) and aim for a Federal Diploma, for example as a Dipl. Betriebswirt HF or Dipl. Marketingmanager HFP. With a Federal Vocational Baccalaureate, it is also possible for you to study at a University of Applied Sciences after completing your apprenticeship, for example business administration.

In the third year of your training as a retail specialist with a Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (Federal VET Diploma), you decide whether you want to work mainly in an advisory or management capacity and choose your focus.

You should have the following personal requirements for a retail apprenticeship:

  • outgoing
  • communicative
  • good manners
  • Verbal and written fluency
  • quick comprehension
  • Organizational skills
  • Flair for numbers
  • Foreign language skills
  • service-oriented
  • Interest in administrative tasks
  • Enjoy computer work

In Switzerland, a distinction is made between ten different sectors in which basic training to become a Federal VET Diploma retail specialist is possible. These are "Food" with four specializations, "Services", "Mobile", "Polynatura" with three specializations, "Lifestyle" with six specializations, "Electronics", "Building and "Living" with seven specializations, "Animals", as well as "Music" and "Stationery and Toys" with two specializations each.

During your third year of training as a Federal VET Diploma retail specialist, you will choose one of the two specializations "Advice" or "Management". In consulting, you will be in direct contact with customers, advising and informing them about innovations and product ranges, materials, ingredients, applications and similar, giving tips and suggestions and fulfilling customer requests where possible. If you focus on management, you will have far less contact with customers and will be primarily responsible for the warehouse. You will manage the warehouse and ensure that fresh or the latest products are always available, check stock levels, order missing goods, check them when they arrive and store them properly. Retail management specialists are responsible for labeling and replenishing missing goods in the sales areas, as well as for the tasteful presentation of goods.

When choosing an apprenticeship, prospective apprentices usually consider several options. This is also the case with an apprenticeship in the retail trade. According to the survey conducted by Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch, 66% of participants check whether the "Retail Trade Specialist (EFZ)" apprenticeship suits them and meets their needs. For 21 %, job advertisements in the retail trade sector aroused their interest in this course. 13 % of respondents were interested in the course due to a recommendation.

Free text answers show further reasons for interest in the apprenticeship "Retail Trade Specialist (EFZ)":

  • Because I like to sell.
  • Because I have already completed EBA in retail trade.
  • I have seen the training has been good for me, I love selling.
  • I have been working in retail for 8 years.
  • I have years of experience as a saleswoman.
  • Lateral entry
  • I am a trained retail assistant and would like to obtain a specialist certificate.
  • I would like to move to Switzerland and have worked in retail for a long time without having a degree. I would like to improve my chances on the job market.
  • I work in retail as a manager.

You will spend three and a half days a week at your training company and one and a half days a week at vocational school during your training as a retail specialist Federal VET Diploma.

As the results of a survey of prospective students conducted by the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch show, a good 64% enquire about schools on the basis of online assessment(s). 25 %, on the other hand, make inquiries based on a recommendation. 11 % send a training inquiry because they already know the school in question. Recommendations and online evaluations also play an important role in school inquiries for the retail specialist apprenticeship (EFZ). However, one respondent told us via the optional text response that he had made an inquiry because the school was nearby. This means that the easy accessibility of the school for training as a retail specialist EFZ is also relevant for school inquiries. Three other text responses point to Google as an important tool for searching for and enquiring about schools. One person simply felt addressed.

Tips, tests and information on "Federal VET Diploma retail specialist"

What do retail specialists do? What specializations are there in the "Federal VET Diploma retail specialist" apprenticeship?
» Job description Consulting and management
Apprenticeship qualification for adults? How does a retail trade apprenticeship work?
» Paths to the Federal VET Diploma as a retail specialist
Target groups for adult education (Art. 32) as "Federal VET Diploma retail specialist"
» Target group, requirements, admission
How do the preparation courses for adults work? How much time and money is involved?
» Training duration and costs
What will I learn as a retail specialist?
» Learning material, final exam
What salary can I expect after completing the "Federal VET Diploma retail specialist" course?
» Wage information, wage calculator
How do lecturers rate teaching for adults in the retail trade?
» Field report by lecturer Michael Stalder
What are the advantages of adult education as a retail apprenticeship?
» 10 advantages of the "Federal VET Diploma retail specialist" course
What experiences have previous course participants had with the retail specialist continuing education, further training / retail specialist apprenticeship?
» Evaluation of training / experience

Infographic "Retail trade training and further education"

Find the right educational level and qualification immediately with Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch!

Do you know your options for training or further education in the retail trade sector? We will show you where you stand in the Swiss education system and what higher levels and qualifications are available.

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Redaktionelle Leitung:

Stefan Schmidlin, Bildungsberatung, Content-Team Modula AG

Quellen

Website des Schweizerischen Sekretariats für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation SBFI , Website www.berufsberatung.ch (offizielles schweizerisches Informationsportal der Studien-, Berufs- und Laufbahnberatung) sowie Websites und anderweitige Informationen der Berufsverbände und Bildungsanbieter.

Erfahrungen, Bewertungen und Meinungen zur Ausbildung / Weiterbildung

Preview of the video «4 Schritte zur richtigen Weiterbildung»
Preview of the video «Erwachsenenlehre als Detailhandelsfachmann / Detailhandelsfachfrau EFZ nach Art. 32»

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